Developer bails because of neighborhood opposition; College looks to its vacant 75 acres for possible new location
A Yavapai Community College tentative agreement with a Clarkdale private developer to build a housing project on five acres adjacent the Verde Valley Campus collapsed because of neighborhood opposition to the project (see sketch below). The private/government partnership would have provided badly needed housing for the first time in 50 years for Yavapai Community College students attending classes on the Verde Campus and staff working there. It would also have included housing for private families. The exact details of the proposed relationship between the developer and the College were not revealed by the at the September 27 Governing Board meeting.
Based on information supplied the Blog, the apparent strong “not in my neighborhood” reaction to the developer’s plan came during a meeting by Clarkdale retirees with town officials, college administrators, and the developer several weeks ago. The retirees seem to think the project would bring unwanted travel by autos on Black Hills Drive.
However, the Community College intends to construct housing on its own 75 acres of vacant property for students and possibly staff. As noted by the College President at the September 27 meeting, “the need for housing continues and we know if we plan to grow or add destination programs, we must have housing. So, we have decided to move housing up in the priority order” of budget expenditures.
The following is a concept sketch of the proposed housing project killed off by neighborhood opposition.
You may listen and view the entire discussion in full about this issue at the September 27 Board meeting by clicking here. The video is about 16 minutes long.
The Blog also notes that Dr. Karen Reed from Shaker Heights, Ohio was selected as the Interim Dean of the Verde Valley for Yavapai Community College to begin work April 11, 2022. The College anticipated, according to its press release in April, that Dr. Reed would serve in the role until October. A national search for the permanent dean was to be conducted.
The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold a study session and General meeting on Tuesday, September 27 beginning at one p.m. The study session was listed by the Community College as running from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. while the business meeting is scheduled for 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The meetings will be held at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. The address is 1100 E. Sheldon Drive, Prescott, Az. 86301.
Yavapai Community College briefly went into lockdown Sunday
afternoon after a report of shots fired near the campus in Prescott. The Prescott Police Department reported receiving a call at around 2:30 p.m. that gun shots were heard in the 800 block of East Gurley Street, near the intersection of Gurley and Arizona streets. The Police Department says that a caller reported a man waiving something at passing cars and heard shots fired after that.